Let’s talk turkey!
Turkeys are an adaptable and resilient species. These traits have enabled them to recover from a time of overexploitation and habitat loss to the point that not only are most populations healthy, but turkeys have moved into many urban areas and are considered to be overabundant and a nuisance. Professor David Drake will share the ecology, life history, and management of one of America’s most recognizable and fascinating birds.
David Drake is a Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research and extension programs primarily focus on wildlife and wildlife damage management in human-dominated landscapes. David received his Ph.D in Forestry from North Carolina State University, a M.S. degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University, and a B.A degree in Biology from Macalester College.
Registration for this free webinar is required:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_z3fUfcM5S5CgaunQ9w5fzQ
Image: Urban Wild turkeys visit a yard in Minneapolis. Credit: Marian Weidner
Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis is a volunteer-based, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. Your donation supports our efforts to provide free educational programming promoting birding and bird conservation.
Ghost Birds: The History, Practice, and Meaning of Bird Sound Recording in an era of extinction
Ever since Cornell University ornithologists captured the first ever sound recordings of wild birds almost 100 years ago, bird sound recordists have tried to capture as many recordings, of as many species, in as many places as possible.
Where were these recordings captured, by whom, and why? What does it mean to have access to these recordings today? And what role might they have in halting further extinctions? In this presentation, I will discuss these entanglements of extinction and bird sound recording in historical and contemporary North American ornithology, focusing on some key case studies including the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, the Puerto-Rican Nightjar, and the Hawaiian Crow.
Guided Birdwatching for People with Mobility Challenges
We will meet at the bird feeder just behind the MVNWR Visitor Center (no need to enter the building). If it is raining, we will meet inside the Visitor Center.
This outing is appropriate for birders with a range of mobility challenges including birders who use wheelchairs, walkers, or canes, as well as those with difficulty walking, but all birders are welcome. We expect to see many species of bird at close range. All birders from beginner to experienced are welcome.
Binoculars will be available for those who need them.
Please dress for the weather.
Guided Birdwatching for People with Mobility Challenges
Hosted by Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis; co-sponsored by Birdability®
Join us as we enjoy fall birdwatching at the feeder, adjacent fields, and nearby overlook. Advance registration is required. Limited to 15 participants.
We will meet at the bird feeder just behind the MVNWR Visitor Center (no need to enter the building). If it is raining, we will meet inside the Visitor Center.
This outing is appropriate for birders with a range of mobility challenges including birders who use wheelchairs, walkers, or canes, as well as those with difficulty walking, but all birders are welcome. We expect to see many species of bird at close range. All birders from beginner to experienced are welcome.
Binoculars will be available for those who need them.
Please dress for the weather.
Birdability/accessibility description: The path is paved and has curb cuts from the parking lot. The path is wide, flat and there are no slopes. The bird feeder is just 400 feet from the handicap parking spaces. Disability parking spaces are available and accessible portable toilets are located nearby.
There are a few benches near the bird feeder, but you may also wish to bring your own folding stool or chair.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Mark Paller (palle001@umn.edu). More information about Birdability® at https://www.birdability.org or contact Mark Paller.
Please feel free to share this with your friends and family.
Birds and Dragonflies
This outing is intended for 3rd to 5th grade children accompanied by an adult.
Join us for a walk around Wood Lake where we will experience many exciting discoveries. We will learn about birds that eat dragonflies along with how to use binoculars to see them. Children will have the opportunity to see, learn about and catch different types of dragonflies that live in Minnesota. We will provide a list for noting the names of the dragonflies and birds you encounter. Using dragonfly nets and binoculars, we will explore the Wood Lake area to locate both birds and dragonflies.
Each child will be provided with an insect net. We have binoculars available for those who need them. Dress for the weather and wear walking shoes.
Birdability description:
The main paths are flat and wide; they are either paved, packed dirt, mulch or crushed limestone. Bridges over the pond are wheelchair accessible. The two small amphitheaters near the nature center building can be from the sides or back to avoid steps. There is a mild downward slope through the main gate to the nature center building that can be avoided by entering through the fence just to the left of the handicap parking spaces. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Karen Weidner, kare5620@gmail.com.
Advanced registration is required and limited to 15 children, plus their guardian(s):
This class is cosponsored by Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis and Minnesota Dragonfly Society.
Beginning Birding Class
The goal of Beginning Birding is to launch beginners into the fun and fascinating world of birding in the Twin Cities. We will teach you the techniques and tools for observation and identification of local birds and their fascinating behaviors. By the end of the course, you will gain the confidence to go birding on your own in your backyard, nearby parks, and beyond.
Participants will learn:
How to use binoculars
How to attune your senses to locate birds
How to look at birds in order to identify them
Terminology for bird identification, including bird body parts
Different identification tools and how to use them, including web application and field guides
This class is a 2-part series: Saturday June 8th, 8:00-11:00 a.m. AND Sunday, June 9, 8:00 -11:00 a.m. Registration page will only show one date due to site parameters; participants should plan to attend both dates at both locations.
June 8 location: Roberts Bird Sanctuary, 4124 Roseway Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55409
June 9 location: Veteran's Park Richfield, 6335 Portland Ave, Richfield, MN 55423
Course fee: $80. Note: Need-based scholarships are available to those where cost is a barrier to participation. Please contact admin@minneapolisaudubon.org to request registration assistance.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beginning-birding-class-tickets-886515921987?aff=oddtdtcreator
Instructors: Lisa Keitel and Derek Debrauske
Course instructor Lisa Keitel is a lifelong birder and Minnesota Master Naturalist since 2017. She is a volunteer with the Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis, St. Paul Audubon, and Mississippi National River and Recreation Area National Park (MISS). She has experience as an outdoor education naturalist and co-leads MYBirdClub for youth and families. She created a bird club for Gilda’s Club Twin Cities, offering birding as an ongoing activity for cancer patients and survivors to aid in their recovery. Lisa also created a bird club for Minnesota Independence College and Community in Richfield (a life skills and vocational education program for young adults on the autism spectrum and with learning differences.). She has received Volunteer of the Year honors from the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union (2019) and MISS (2022).
Birding for Beginners
This outing will be appropriate for persons new to birding or with limited experience, although all birders are welcome. We will start with a binocular demonstration, short introduction to bird ID, and will discuss strategies for finding birds, and the many ways to enjoy the outdoors while birding. Bring your own binoculars and guide books; a limited supply of loaner binoculars will also be available. Individuals under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult.
Guided Birdwatching for People with Mobility Challenges
Join us as we enjoy birdwatching on the new terrace and take a short (optional) walk into the sanctuary.
Roberts Bird Sanctuary, 4124 Roseway Road, Minneapolis, MN 55409
Join us as we enjoy birdwatching on the new terrace and take a short (optional) walk into the sanctuary.
Advance registration is required. Limited to 15 participants.
This outing is appropriate for birders with a range of mobility challenges including birders who use wheelchairs, walkers, or canes, as well as those with difficulty walking, but all birders are welcome. We expect to see many species of bird at close range. All birders from beginner to experienced are welcome.
• Binoculars will be available for those who need them.
• Please dress for the weather.
Birdability®/accessibility description: The terrace is just feet from the parking lot. The path is paved and has curb cuts from the parking lot. Disability parking spaces are available and accessible portable toilets are located nearby.
There are a few benches on the terrace. We will spend the first 45 minutes on the terrace. For the second half of the event, we will take a short, easy, OPTIONAL hike into the sanctuary along Bossen Lane. Bossen Lane is mostly level and wide and is hard-packed dirt or gravel. There may be mud after a rain. There is one bench several hundred feet in.
Parking is metered, but is free with a disability hangtag. Free parking is available nearby along Lake Harriet Parkway.
Climate Watch Bird Survey Q&A
Since 2016, Climate Watch volunteers have collected data which scientists use in their research on how birds respond to climate change, such as shifting their ranges.
ACM volunteer and Climate Watch Bird Survey coordinator for the Northwestern Suburbs, Brittany, is hosting a question and answer session. All are welcome and we hope you consider participating.
Climate Watch Bird Count Q&A
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/sdv-xxum-dyo
You can sign up using these simple step-by-step instructions. The Climate Watch protocol provides detailed instructions on how to document observations of birds in your area.
Heron Rookery
On this outing, we will view heron nests, learn about their behavior, diet, and chicks. Bring tripod, binoculars, and cameras if you have them. Binoculars are available for those who need them. All are welcome, no experience required.
Guided birdwatching for people with mobility challenges
Hosted by Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis; co-sponsored by Birdability®
Join us as we enjoy spring birdwatching at the feeder, adjacent fields, and nearby overlook.
Advance registration is required. Limited to 15 participants.
We will meet at the bird feeder just behind the MVNWR Visitor Center (no need to enter the building). If it is raining, we will meet inside the Visitor Center.
This outing is appropriate for birders with a range of mobility challenges including birders who use wheelchairs, walkers, or canes, as well as those with difficulty walking, but all birders are welcome. We expect to see many species of bird at close range. All birders from beginner to experienced are welcome.
Binoculars will be available for those who need them.
Please dress for the weather.
Birdability/accessibility description: The path is paved and has curb cuts from the parking lot. The path is wide, flat and there are no slopes. The bird feeder is just 400 feet from the handicap parking spaces. Disability parking spaces are available and accessible portable toilets are located nearby.
There are a few benches near the bird feeder, but you may also wish to bring your own folding stool or chair.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Mark Paller (palle001@umn.edu). More information about Birdability® at https://www.birdability.org or contact Mark Paller.
Please feel free to share this with your friends and family.
Photo: Hermit Thrush, Wilmer Fernandez
The lasting effect of redlining on birds, their habitat, and the people who may experience them.
The social and economic decisions made in a city can shape the character of that city for decades, even centuries to come. Some of the most profound contrasts in any urban area -- the location of good vs. poor housing, healthy living conditions vs. localized pollution, and school quality -- have their roots in racist policies and attitudes. Historical inequality can also shape the natural environment of a city, and the plants and animals that call the city home. Eric Wood studies how practices in Los Angeles like redlining shaped where birds and other wildlife are found today.
Dr. Eric Wood is an associate professor of avian and urban ecology in the Biological Sciences Department at Cal State LA, and a Research Associate in the Department of Ornithology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Registration for this free, public webinar is required: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_m3dmuTdZQ6GpZ9PnH1iiYQ
Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis is a volunteer-based, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. Your donation supports our efforts to provide free, educational programming promoting birding and bird conservation.
The Most Overlooked Birds in North America: Females
Female birds are typically more drab and inconspicuous than males, leading over time to an unconscious bias towards male birds in birdwatching, photography, and even in our ornithological knowledge. This talk explores the history of focus on male birds, female vocalizations, conservation implications of overlooking female birds, and female bird identification tips.
Hima in the House: Avian Architecture Across the Islamic World
Through its recent ecological turn, the scholarly study of “Islamic” architecture has expanded to take into greater account both the animal and vegetal worlds. As nature’s most accomplished architects, birds have long contributed to the biomorphic landscape and built environment of the greater Middle East. Stretching from Morocco to India, houses made for birds, and made by birds, attest to the thriving of avian architecture across the centuries. Bird houses, whether impromptu or purpose-built, provide a type of sanctuary and refuge—or hima as conceptualized in Islamic philosophical and ecological traditions—dedicated to protecting avifauna and their related regions, the latter used as agricultural lands for human sustenance and/or as biodiversity reserves for non-human survival. Fluttering from nest and nook to tower and palace, this talk examines various types of bird houses, their architectonic language and creative forms, their intersections with vulnerable places and peoples, and their bio-material contributions to an integrated creaturely world.
Northern Hawk Owl Movement & Habitat Use
The Northern Hawk Owl Project, led by Hannah Toutonghi, is looking at the movements and winter habitat use of Northern Hawk Owls in northern Minnesota and southern Manitoba. There is little known about what hawk owls do in harsh winter conditions and how far they move within a single season. We will discuss the species, what we previously have known about hawk owls, and the novel results of using telemetry to track individual hawk owls throughout the winter season! Please come with your curiosity and questions about this nomadic denizen of the Northwoods.
Build Your Own Bird Feeder
Attract even more birds to your yard or balcony with a handmade hopper-style feeder. Instructor Kurt will have cutting plans and materials ready for you to learn how to construct a simple bird feeder step-by-step. Participants will also learn about winter birds and winter bird feeding, including suitable types of food for resident birds.
In one afternoon, participants will complete a four season feeder that can hold different kinds of seeds, has an easy, accessible hinge top for refilling and cleaning, and a suet holder on the side. It can be either mounted on a pole or hung from a branch, hook etc.
Course fee ($80) includes all materials, including tools. No carpentry experience is expected or required. Participants must be aged 16 or older.
Need-based scholarships are available.
Volunteer instructor Kurt Klotzbuecher is long-time woodworker.
Registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/make-your-own-birdfeeder-tickets-737684914437?aff=oddtdtcreator
For scholarships or accessibility accommodations, email admin@minneapolisaudubon.org
The Bell Museum in the 21st Century: What can natural history collections tell us about biodiversity in a changing world?
Natural history museums are repositories of past and present biodiversity information. This information can be crucial for understanding current conditions, invaluable for comparing to what we know of the past, and critical for establishing a baseline with which to predict future changes. I will describe new discoveries and ways of using bird specimens in natural history collections to study biodiversity beyond taxonomy to inform environmental health and impacts of climate change. I will introduce a new initiative at the Bell Museum to create a network across Minnesota to salvage dead wildlife and establish a repository for research on ecology and ecosystem health. We expect this new project to stimulate research and connect scientists across the state and excite students and citizen scientists to participate in innovative and integrative science.
guided birdwatching for people with mobility challenges
Hosted by Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis; co-sponsored by Birdability®
Join us in celebrating Birdability Week 2023! You are invited to enjoy fall birdwatching at the feeder, adjacent field, and nearby overlook.
This outing is appropriate for birders with a range of mobility challenges including birders who use wheelchairs, walkers, or canes, as well as those with difficulty walking. We expect to see many species of bird at close range. All birders from beginner to experienced are welcome. We will meet at the bird feeder just behind the MVNWR Visitor Center (no need to enter the building).
birding for beginners
This course will introduce and instill the birding basics of: binocular use, tuning your sight and hearing to find birds, terminology for bird body parts and ID, using general impression, size and shape, using field guide books, field guide apps, and the Merlin app.